Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Personally, I would not risk a power supply, hook another battery up as a temp supply and use that. There's always a risk of a power outage or glitch and your in deep shit.

Been there. Done that! 

[med6753]

Personally, I would not risk a power supply, hook another battery up as a temp supply and use that. There's always a risk of a power outage or glitch and your in deep shit.

Been there. Done that! 

Nah, I'll risk it. Live life on the edge. 

[Specmaster]

the post reads like a farewell, see you in Walhalla.

He's an army vet. Don't recall if he was in Iraq or Afghanistan. Since he's no longer going to post here I'll tell what he told me. An IED blew up his buddy....literally. He had to pick up pieces.    That trauma has followed him home haunted him ever since.     

A worse experience is hard to imagine. It would be bad enough to do that with someone who you didn't know, but a buddy

[tggzzz]

I started tearing down the 2430 to replace NVRAM backup battery. While not a nightmare getting it torn down to access the battery is..shall we say....not fun. I'd like to meet the engineer who designed this and give him a good swift kick in the nuts. Without too much effort he could have made battery access easier.

Anyway, I've got it torn down and I checked the old battery. Amazingly it measures 3.5V. This scope has a build date stamped of November 8, 1985. As near as I can tell this is the original battery. 35 years old and still good. But I'm changing it anyway. I have to tie in backup power before pulling it. The little pip squeak HP power supply will be perfect for that.

Pictures later.

Have you videoed the test/exer routine as you scroll through all the magic numbers in the RAM? That way you could find some other way to reinstate the magic numbers, should the procedure fail.

[Saskia]

deposited 2 beer in every room. Tonite it's pub tour ...

[Saskia]

uptraded my Fluke 114 for a Fluke 179. Good trade ?

[bd139]

Yes I just got a 179 the other day. Rather like it 

[bd139]

Decided to finish off sorting out the new bench today. It's done finally. Thought I'd share the before and after photographs. Same corner!

Firstly we have circa 2012... working direct conversion receiver in abject poverty thanks to overspending by someone we shall not mention on catalogues  . This is all perched on an Ikea Kallax unit not a bench 



Today finally, just how I want it Only 8 years!

[URI]

Decided to finish off sorting out the new bench today. It's done finally. Thought I'd share the before and after photographs. Same corner!

Firstly we have circa 2012... working direct conversion receiver in abject poverty thanks to overspending by someone we shall not mention on catalogues  . This is all perched on an Ikea Kallax unit not a bench 



Today finally, just how I want it Only 8 years!

Wow you have downsized indeed. The Siglent is saving up much bench space, isn't it? 
I've got 1104X-E and it's my first go-to even over my Keysight DSO-X -because of the small foot print. It can stay on the bench always but the DSO-X has to be moved on to it and off from it.

What happened to that bench with the extra shelve?

[bd139]

Indeed. I am liking the Siglent. Had the DS1054Z before and while it was a reasonable scope with more channels, this is much better suited to my work.

The additional shelf while handy was quite imposing and didn't really result in a good working environment for me. This is my daily money earning work bench as well on the software side of things, particularly at the moment, so needs to be spacious and reasonably ergonomic so I can focus on things.

[URI]

Tea time:
For those over the pond who are in reach:
On the *bay a "Fluke 5100B Calibrator - Worked before retirement 6 months ago":  is on offer for take away by the buyer only, no shipping because the seller "don't want to lift it again!  It is pretty heavy - perhaps as much as 60 pounds.  Come prepared!"   



Anyone near Greensboro, NC? 

[Saskia]

Looks tidy.

I'm envious. I need to clean and tidy up, unfortunately I cannot reach my friend with the full blown lab and warehouse I just hope he is ok and his company survives this crisis

As for the backup bench, I got my DSOX2002 (or so) and the terrific deal of a Rigol 4 channel which was on a returns bench of a major electronics distributor. Need to rearrange my stuff.

In the mean time I have to:
complete a PC build for a friend
verify that my memory upgrade works as expected (64 GB running at 3800 MHz, and I do not have an eye diagram of signal integrity and timings ..., I just cannot afford the test equipment ...)
fight with WD tech support that has lost one of my RMAs 
mix disinfectant for my husband who is guarding the consulate and still has contact to too many people.

At least my audio phoolery is working as designed (Sony TA-E 86B with Threshold 200 on Quadral Vulkan Mk 3 and Nakamichi OMS 7 Mk2) Don't have space to set up my turntable right now, and somehow I have developed a taste for vietnam era songs (CCR, ...)

[URI]

Indeed. I am liking the Siglent. Had the DS1054Z before and while it was a reasonable scope with more channels, this is much better suited to my work.

Tautech will like your words on the Siglent.   
It is the newer design -compared to it's direct competitor DS1054Z.
On the other hand; younger Rigol models -even with Rigols new ASIC also seem to tend to a laggy and partially buggy UI -Rigol hasn't much improved in that department in the last years while it seems Siglent has.

The additional shelf while handy was quite imposing and didn't really result in a good working environment for me. This is my daily money earning work bench as well on the software side of things, particularly at the moment, so needs to be spacious and reasonably ergonomic so I can focus on things.

...but.. but.. the precious shelve space! 
If you remember my bench you know I never could survive without the massively inflated "shelve" above my bench.      

[Mortymore]

I see the real improvement there.

Without calculator

Firstly we have circa 2012...

With calculator

Today finally, just how I want it Only 8 years!

[BU508A]

We need some humor. Love this. Gonna copy and it's my new mantra. 

Perhaps, we'll need some "Götterfunken" as well....

Today, at 6 p.m. in Germany, all people which want to participate, shall play the nineth symphony from Ludwig van Beethoven, from their balcons, from their gardens, without meeting each other and keeping the social distance.

https://www.nds-musikverband.de/pages/topics/gemeinsam-gegen-corona-nmv-unterstuetze-aktion-musikerinnen-fuer-deutschland.php

It is saying "musicians for Germany" but I since the lyrics from Mr. Schiller are saying "alle Menschen werden Brüder" I think this should take place all over the world.

A little support by one of the greatest pieces of music is something we all need. Imho.

[Ice-Tea]

Tea time:
For those over the pond who are in reach:
On the *bay a "Fluke 5100B Calibrator - Worked before retirement 6 months ago":  is on offer for take away by the buyer only, no shipping because the seller "don't want to lift it again!  It is pretty heavy - perhaps as much as 60 pounds.  Come prepared!"   



Anyone near Greensboro, NC? 

Over 30kg. A fair bit more when (well) packaged. Expect to pay 400€+ for shipping to the EU (+ import charges and duties, of course..)

[capt bullshot]

Tea time:
For those over the pond who are in reach:
On the *bay a "Fluke 5100B Calibrator - Worked before retirement 6 months ago":  is on offer for take away by the buyer only, no shipping because the seller "don't want to lift it again!  It is pretty heavy - perhaps as much as 60 pounds.  Come prepared!"   

I've carried two of them from basement to 2nd floor (british definition) - so come on wimps it's not that heavy

[Saskia]

in that case you are invited to help me lug around my pinball machines and arcades 

[beanflying]

Tea time:
For those over the pond who are in reach:
On the *bay a "Fluke 5100B Calibrator - Worked before retirement 6 months ago":  is on offer for take away by the buyer only, no shipping because the seller "don't want to lift it again!  It is pretty heavy - perhaps as much as 60 pounds.  Come prepared!"   

I've carried two of them from basement to 2nd floor (british definition) - so come on wimps it's not that heavy

I agree what a bunch of softies Only 33kg from memory....

[Ice-Tea]

Tea time:
For those over the pond who are in reach:
On the *bay a "Fluke 5100B Calibrator - Worked before retirement 6 months ago":  is on offer for take away by the buyer only, no shipping because the seller "don't want to lift it again!  It is pretty heavy - perhaps as much as 60 pounds.  Come prepared!"   

I've carried two of them from basement to 2nd floor (british definition) - so come on wimps it's not that heavy

I agree what a bunch of softies Only 33kg from memory....

HP puts "two man handle" or somesuch on machines like that. Who am I to disagree. That said, carried one two flights up and down recently as well. So, yeah

Hope the unit and new owner are alright. Shipped it to Italy 10 days ago 

[Cerebus]

This mornings plans went slightly amok my Mother thought inspecting the floorboards up close at 6am was the thing to do (nothing serious fortunately) Lucky for me Bubble Wrap is still plentiful, time to make her the suit I have been threatening for a while ....

I am glad she is (mostly) okay. If she rebels regarding the bubble wrap, tell her the alternative is a bolt-on wheel rack.

Worked for my mom.   

C'mon, this the 21st century - HoverGranny is the only acceptable solution.

[mnementh]

Check his post history here. There’s an update. Doesn’t sound good 

I agree. Sad.   
Good to hear from him anyways.

Here's the link:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/away-a-while/msg2975974/#msg2975974

In all honesty... I'm slightly relieved. I really feared he had gone SK, hoped it was medical rather than otherwise. At least there's still hope of him finding his way.

*casts a prayer to Ifni for all our lost souls* Namaste', my friend.

mnem
"Life is an endless progression of dealing with loss, right up to the ultimate loss; loss of self." ~mom

[Saskia]

first task finished: cook lunch for hubby.
2nd task finished: do the 64gb upgrade. Computer is reasonably fast, FPGA design software should be able to run.
3rd task finished: hear back from my electronics mentor and friend. he is mostly ok and working on restoring another pinball machine. His lab is under quarantine though, as it is on his company's campus. Thus I cannot see him. Thank god he's ok.
4th task ongoing: finish PC build for a friend.

[Cerebus]

A worse experience is hard to imagine. It would be bad enough to do that with someone who you didn't know, but a buddy

Once you've been under fire together everybody's your buddy apart from the "there's one in every troop/platoon" NCO who's let a little power go to their head, even "there's also one of these in troop/platoon" who can't put their trousers on the right way around without help.

Lad called Graham used to work for me. His previous job was as an Army regular during the whole Bosnia thing and came out as a corporal (one of the good ones). He told me a tale of lad he had in their unit who was a complete and utter pain in the arse. Not just the type who couldn't put their trousers on the right way round without help but also the unit skiver, shirker and whiner. After first contact with the enemy under real live 'fuck they are trying to kill us' fire he changed completely. Suddenly he was the guy who helped everyone else, who listened and did what he was told, etc. etc. Transformed overnight from a nightmare soldier that everyone in the unit hated to everybody's best mate.

Graham is also the bloke who taught me the phrase "Bosnian Motorcycle" to refer to a car with only one headlamp working, a phrase that has stuck with me ever since.

[Cerebus]

deposited 2 beer in every room. Tonite it's pub tour ...

Chuckle.